Old Fashioned Broody Hen Hatch A Long and Informational Thread

[Chickinn]

I was thinking of a brooder outside the coop for the other girls to lay their eggs. I may just run to rural king and see what I can come up with

 

[Chickinn]

Rural King has a little thing that they call a brooder that looks like a small doghouse. I thought about getting that for the other girls to lay their eggs in outside the coop. I'm afraid that may confuse them terribly though I may make a place for her inside the coop that she can't get out of. I'm still thinking on it

 

[Chickinn]

This is my coop when the girls were babies She is in the nesting box above. I'm thinking of fencing in below the nesting box for her?

 

[Miss Lydia]

This is my coop when the girls were babies She is in the nesting box above. I'm thinking of fencing in below the nesting box for her?

I think that would work great. give her room to move around and really they don't like to go far, but that way she wouldn't poop those nasty things inside the nest. I think thats your best idea then the girls can still use the nest boxes. give her a nest box with same bedding she is using now. and move her at night with cover over her,

 

[fisherlady]

Chickinn.,,, I don't know your coop set up... but could you find a medium pet carrier and place it in a corner of the coop for her? Then you could take 2 or 3 ft tall chicken wire and put a small pen around the box. It would give her a safe spot to sit on her eggs without being bothered by the other hens but wouldn't isolate her too much. She would only need a few square feet in her little 'run', just enough room for food and water and potty break. You can still take her outside once a day to provide her a chance to dust bath or scratch for a few minutes if she wants, then just set her back in her own run... no confusion for her since there is only one nest to choose from and you won't need to block the other hens out of the coop.

 

[fisherlady]

For our broody I found a plastic (and stackable) tote from walmart for $5.97.... you could easily cover it for privacy or simply put it in seperated area instead of a pet carrier for her to use.
here it is being checked out by one of my non broody hens when I was getting it ready for Gracie (I filled bottom with shavings and fresh straw... then took a couple of handfuls of straw from one of Gracies favorite laying box and added it on top so it smelled 'familiar' to her...



Then placed it in our seperate built in broody area ready for Gracie to take up residence...



and here's the happy broody... she took right to the nest without problem, which was a huge weight off of our minds!



I know our set up is unique for our coop... but it doesn't need to be fancy or expensive to work well... a cat carrier or the pictured tote will work just fine.

 

[BorderBrigade]

Here is the brooding area I have set up for my Cochin hen. It's a large cardboard box lined it with paper on the bottom and just moved her bedding eggs and all from my coop one night. She has stayed put ever since. She didn't seem to be getting off the nest for the first few days to eat and drink so I would go in morning and evening to lift her off near the food And water. She eats drinks and goes right back to her nest, shimmys down over the eggs to get back to work how many eggs does everyone usually put under their standard size hens? My blue cochn hen has 10 and seems to cover them easily. I also have 9 in the incubator the same day I set her with these ten eggs. I will be interested to see the hatch rate of the same eggs broody hen vs incubator. I'll keep you posted.

 

[Chickjen]

I am not much of a fan of MidAtlantic winters, and have sevear spring fever, So I have been reading this tread and getting super excieted!!!! I learned that even if it is cold a momma can still raise a clutch AND you CAN use refridgerated eggs. In hopes someday having some chicks I left her egg today hoping that she would set it, but it was so nice she decided to enjoy the great out doors... So I was searching to see if you can "cause" a hen to go broody... Oh I did not mention, she is a white silkie hen, dad a white silkie also - advantage So I am reading about how you all have made small enclosures within your coops, I really liked this idea and plan to do the same tomorrow Just for grins I tried to set her on the eggs tonight while walking the dog. I put her on the nest and she quickly tried to go back to roosting with her coopmates. I gently set her back on the nest, she looked down and seemed to count the eggs, she took another take, and sat right down on them!!!! I hope she stays on them:0) super excited! thank you all for posting, I am learning so much!!!

 

[Chickjen]

just peeked in on the gang, she was not on the roost! and setting tight on those eggs! HOORAY! Talk about gentle coercion! You go snowflake girl! Or more appropriate for the topic, You STAY (on those eggs) Snowflake Girl!!! (the kids named her...LOL) Ok, going to try to get some sleep now... maybe I need to go to an addicts meeting for this now.... oh, yes, it is called 4h... poultry club

 

[Miss Lydia]

Very good ideas for brooders everyone.